Tahiti and the islands in art: Bobby Holcomb
The late artist and musician is a much-beloved figure.
Painter, musician, and passionate lover of Polynesian culture, Bobby Holcomb is a legendary figure around here.
His look was unique, with flowing dreadlocks (apparently styled after the Chimbu Highlanders of Papua New Guinea, a 40,000 year old look), often sporting a crown of ferns, shoeless and with features inherited from mixed parents (Hawaiian-Portugese on his mum’s side, Native and Afro American on his dad’s).
Bobby arrived in the Tahitian islands in 1976 and settled in Huahine, learning the local language and waking up at 4:30am in the dark to create his paintings of the legends and myths of the Polynesians.
The man was a creative all-rounder and was more well known for his music that blended reggae with Polynesian melodies, with influence from jazz, RnB and rock and roll.
"A painter, composer, singer, teacher and ‘bon vivant’, Bobby was an inspiring example of a free spirit. He represented almost a counter-culture in the simplicity of his life style amidst an ugly trend towards French Colonial urbanisation.”
John Lind, from Bobby: Polynesian Visions
He was an advocate for traditional Polynesian arts and crafts, learning and teaching local dances, songs, games, and helping to tend to the marae, ancient sacred rock platforms in the jungles.
Bobby was also an environmental advocate, protesting against the nuclear testing in the 70s and trying to bring awareness to the pollution in Papeete.
Bobby died in 1991 aged only 44. He was buried at the base of Mou'a Tapu in Huahine, a sacred mountain.
“Let us imagine that we are with Bobby in his studio on the other side of the lagoon from his old red house. It is a tranquil spot here beside the reef.
In his quaint little chalet of wooden shingles studded with small coloured windows. Now he finds his inspiration not only in the early hours of the morning but until mid-afternoon.
The heat does not bother him. The white light from the beach gives truth to his colours.”
From Bobby: Polynesian Visions
Bobby painted mainly with acrylic on paper or wooden boards, sticking to a natural earthy colour palette that is “in keeping with the natural colours of Hawaiian or Tahitian costumes, blacks, reds, yellows, whites, browns and oranges”.
Despite having no formal training, Bobby’s works are incredibly balanced compositions with a distinct style that ties all of his artworks together but never feels repetitive. I adore the love, wonder and reverence for Polynesian culture you see in each of his works.
Bobby: Polynesian Visions is a collection of works by the artist along with a description of the legend or story in both French and English. If you are interested in diving into Polynesian culture through the lens of this eclectic artist, this is the book for you!
Watching, reading, thinking about…
Not as dumb as Every Best Picture Winner Ranked by How Good a Muppets Version Would Be (thanks Marty from
for helping me waste an entire afternoon going through the absurdly long list), but still tickled me despite not having seen any of these films yet.Deep diving into the Dimensions of Colour
And watching this video on why your usual advice that ‘RGB can make any secondary colour’ isn’t 100% correct.
ALL the period dramas!
I’m stuck under a baby for most of the day, and so far have rewatched the 2008 Sense & Sensibility miniseries, North & South, 3 seasons of Sanditon. In the final days of pregnancy I also knocked off Northanger Abbey and the 1995 Pride & Prejudice miniseries. Next up, we have season 1 of The Gilded Age.
If you have any good tv shows (preferably period dramas) to watch while baby is on the boob, comment below!